New Travel, New Travelers: Who Are the New Guests on Airbnb?

Data expert Anita Roth shares insights into new guests who have used Airbnb to book nearby getaways for the first time this spring and summer:

The longer we are forced by the pandemic to remain at home, the more we want to get out. People may not be traveling internationally these days, and they may not be traveling for business, but they are traveling to take a break. They’re getting in their cars, driving a couple hundred miles, and staying in less populated, less popular areas.

All of which increases the likelihood that they’re staying in homes. From the day the pandemic was declared on March 11 through August 11, new guests hailing from more than 200 countries and regions around the world have booked their first stays on Airbnb. 

Notable trends among these new-to-Airbnb guests include:

• Roughly two thirds of them booked nearby—to destinations within 300 miles. 
• The vast majority of them booked domestic trips.
• Three in four (75%) of them booked trips within 30 days, including six percent for the same day and 10 percent for the next day. 

Other noteworthy characteristics include where these new guests are going. While they hail from over 200 countries and regions worldwide, the US claims by far the largest share—nearly 40 percent—in both origin and destination. Specifically:

• Nearly two in five (39%) of the new guests are in the US.
• China, France, the UK, Korea, Germany, Canada, Australia, Spain and Brazil, in that order, round out the top 10 points of origin.
• Twelve different countries, across five continents, have each seen at least 100,000 new guests book on Airbnb since March 11: the US, China, France, the UK, Korea, Germany, Canada, Australia, Spain, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico.
• As for where they’re going, 37 percent are bound for destinations in the US.
• France, China, Korea, the UK, Canada, Spain, Italy, Australia and Mexico, in that order, round out the top 10 destinations for post-March 11 new bookers on Airbnb.

The fact that so much of this is the same leads us to notice what’s different, such as the likely popularity of France, Spain and Italy as cross-border but close-by destinations for Europeans, and the same being likely for American travelers visiting Mexico.

We’re gratified by these new bookers and we can only assume that these new guests are choosing Airbnb because they’re seeking accommodations that are private and safe in locations that are more remote or more convenient. Thanks to the ease with which most people can host, we’re able to have listings in places where hotels can’t afford to have rooms.